1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been conventionally known image forming apparatuses which use electrophotography and so forth to form images on recording media. Of these, with compact photocopiers in particular, in the event that multiple copies are consecutively made on recording media (recording sheets), the recording media with images formed on one side is generally discharged onto a stacking tray disposed at one end of the image forming apparatus in a face-up manner, that is to say, with the side of the sheet on which the image has been formed facing upwards.
Face-up discharging photocopiers are advantageous in that users can readily recognize images formed on the recording media, and in that the height of the apparatus can be suppressed even in the event that an image reading device for reading originals is disposed on top of the apparatus, since no sheet discharge unit is provided above the apparatus.
However, there is the problem that discharging sheets face-up at all times means that multiple copies made will be stacked on the discharge tray in the reverse order to that desired, and a stack of copies in the order in which the copies were made cannot be received by the user.
Accordingly, a photocopier having a reversal mechanism has been proposed, wherein sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray at the end of the apparatus either face-up or face-down, as desired (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-221254).
However, the transporting distance of sheets is longer with cases wherein the sheets are reversed with the reversal mechanism, in comparison with cases wherein sheets are not reversed at the reversal mechanism and discharged face-up. Accordingly, the processing capabilities (e.g., the number of sheets upon which images can be formed in a certain amount of time) of the image forming apparatus are reduced by a degree proportionate to the lengthened transporting path.
Also, even in the event that a sheet is to be discharged face-up and accordingly no reversal thereof is necessary, the sheet needs to wait in a case wherein the sheet preceding the face-up sheet is to be discharged face-down, in order to prevent the two sheets from colliding, overlapping, or the order thereof becoming inverted.